“I’m fine,” Susan insisted. She shrugged and winced from a twinge in her shoulder. “I’ll be fine.” She tried to look nonchalant. “Only with a tiny bit less ear.”

Leo nodded. “Good,” he said. Then he cleared his throat. “I’m sorry,” he said. “That you were brought into this. About what happened to you.”

“You didn’t bring me into it,” Susan said. She knew where this was going, and was in no hurry to get there. She turned to look out the cold glass again.

Leo walked over to her and stood next to her and they both looked out the window for what seemed like a long time.

“Do you want me to do it?” he asked finally.

Susan felt her eyes well with tears and her throat constrict. She could barely look at him. But she made herself. She had told herself that she was going to do this like an adult. She knew what she was going to say. She’d already gone through it in her head. But now, faced with him, she couldn’t find the words. She wanted to explain. She wanted an explanation.

His eyes remained steady on her, waiting, all of a sudden an attentive boyfriend. It just made Susan angrier.

“You didn’t come after me,” Susan blurted out. She could forgive Leo for abandoning her at the party. But not stepping up when she was being held hostage by a serial killer?

Leo nodded. He hadn’t flinched at the accusation. He’d known it was coming.

“Archie did,” Susan continued. “But you didn’t.” It sounded so selfish said out loud. “I understand,” she added quickly. “Jack was bleeding right in front of you. The cops were coming. I understand all of it.” She understood, but it didn’t matter. “But you didn’t come.”

“The police arrived right after the elevator doors closed,” Leo said softly, not looking at her. “They held me for questioning. They had to. It would have looked suspicious if they hadn’t.”

She could tell that he was explaining, not offering an excuse. But Archie had made it. Leo could have, too, if he’d wanted to. He could have gotten onto that elevator. And there was something else that didn’t make sense. “Jack is dead,” Susan said. “The investigation is over—why would your cover still need to be protected?”

Leo looked at her, and there was something in his eyes that made her uneasy. “I’m Jack’s successor,” he said. “I can take over the business. I’ll have access to the international partners now.” His neck was blotchy with color and his voice was low. “I can bring them all down.”

Susan searched Leo’s face. She couldn’t tell if he was seething with ambition, or revenge. “But you’re miserable,” she said.